Newman Government delivers Royalties for Regions

Crucial Queensland road projects including the Toowoomba CBD ring-road and Blakeys Crossing in Townsville will be the focus of Royalties for the Regions spending over the next 18 months.

Upgrades to the Brisbane Valley and D’Aguilar Highways would also be a priority, Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said in Kingaroy today.

Mr Seeney today announced the regional councils and projects shortlisted for funding under the pilot first round of Royalties for the Regions.

 “Relieving traffic pressure in Toowoomba city centre with the CBD ring-road and ending the chaos caused by flooding of Blakeys Crossing are vital roadworks that we promised to act upon and want to see underway,” Mr Seeney said.

“The program would also provide overtaking lanes on the D’Aguilar and Brisbane Valley Highways and upgrade the Woolcock and Mathers St intersection in Townsville.

 “They are funded in this 18 month program and we will bring forward funding allocations as soon as work is ready to start,” Mr Seeney said.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Scott Emerson said the program would deliver a key election commitment for roads in some of the fastest growing regions of Queensland.

“More than $40 million has been allocated for regional roads in the next six months and a further $65 million from July,” Mr Emerson said.

“We went to the election committing to deliver vital upgrades to roads relied upon by these resource communities.

“The Department of Transport and Main Roads is already working closely with local councils and communities to finalise planning and the designs required to deliver these projects as soon as possible.”

While regional roads will receive the bulk of $60 million available under the first round of funding from the Royalties for the Regions program, core community infrastructure and flood mitigation projects will also go ahead.

Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said water and sewerage will be the focus of round one of community infrastructure funding.

“When funding for this vital infrastructure was stripped away by Andrew Fraser in 2009, it was always going to put pressure on local communities.

“This program won’t be a silver bullet, but it’s an understanding that regional communities need help to keep up with growth.”

Six regional councils – Maranoa, Western Downs, Banana, Central Highlands, Isaac and Whitsunday - have been shortlisted to provide full business cases for 20 projects.

“These regions were neglected by the Bligh Labor Government. They have been forced to cope with intense pressures from the resource sector expansion,” Mr Seeney said.

“We are now moving to address these problems. Spending will be directed to the areas with the most pressing problems where the biggest cumulative impact of resource development is occurring.

“But we know and understand development and growth are having an impact  across all mining regions and we will continue to target key problems in further Royalties for the Regions funding rounds.”

“Royalties for the Regions is about reinvesting a share of royalties in resource regions to help build new and improved community, road and floodplain security infrastructure,” Mr Seeney said.

Business cases are due on 17 December 2012, with a final go-ahead for the projects early in the New Year.

All short-listed projects

Resource Community Building Fund

·         Dysart Medical Centre – Isaac Regional Council

·         Roma Sewerage Augmentation Project – Maranoa Regional Council

·         Miles Water, Sewerage and Recycled Water Scheme Stage 1 – Western Downs Regional Council

·         Theodore Sewerage Treatment Plant – Banana Shire Council

·         Chinchilla Washdown Bay - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Maranoa Water Supply Project - Maranoa Regional Council

·         Winfields Road Landfill Upgrade - Western Downs Regional Council

Roads to Resources

·         Belyando Estate, Moranbah - Flood Free Access -Belyando Estate Q50 Bridge – Isaac Regional Council

·         Fairymeadow Road Seal Widening - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Goombi Fairymeadow Road Seal Widening - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Bennetts School Road Sealing - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Upgrade Eidsvold Theodore Road - Banana Shire Council

·         Wallumbilla North Bitumen Seal - Maranoa Regional Council

·         Weranga North Road Upgrade - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Mary Road Upgrade - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Joseph Road Upgrade - Western Downs Regional Council

·         Bowen Developmental Road - Collinsville to Bowen – Whitsunday Regional Council

·         Beelbee Road Sealing - Western Downs Regional Council

Floodplain Security Scheme

·         Roma Flood Mitigation Project - Levee Construction – Maranoa Regional Council

·         Nogoa River Rail Bridge Capacity Improvement – Central Highland Regional Council

Note: There are three components to the Royalties for the Regions program – Roads to Resources, Resource Community Building Fund and the Floodplain Security Scheme.  Fourteen regional councils are entitled to apply for funding. The LNP Government will invest $495 million over four years.

[ENDS] 6 November 2012                            Media Contact: John Wiseman – 0409 791 281